Editing Gheorghe Hagi (section)

===Retirement===
Hagi retired from professional football in 2001, at the age of 36 and that year he was given a send-off in a testimonial game on 24 April, called "Gala Hagi," featuring a team of Romanian All-Stars against a team of international All-Stars.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/1294532.stm |title=Hagi takes an all-star bow |work=BBC Sport |date=24 April 2001 |access-date=29 July 2018}}<br>{{cite web | url=https://www.fanatik.ro/20-de-ani-de-la-meciul-de-retragere-al-lui-gica-hagi-ultimul-bal-de-gala-al-regelui-video-19499139| title=20 de ani de la meciul de retragere al lui Gică Hagi! Ultimul "bal de gală" al "Regelui". Video| publisher=Fanatik.ro| language=ro |trans-title=20 years since Gică Hagi's retirement match! The last "gala ball" of the "King". Video | date=24 April 2021| access-date=11 February 2025}}<br>{{cite web | url=https://www.playsport.ro/video-20-de-ani-de-la-gala-hagi-un-eveniment-grandios-cu-regele-in-prim-plan-pentru-ultima-data-sub-tricolor-29474| title=VIDEO. 20 de ani de la "Gala Hagi"! Un eveniment grandios cu "Regele" în prim-plan, pentru ultima dată sub "tricolor"| publisher=Playsport.ro| language=ro |trans-title=Video. 20 years since the "Hagi Gala"! A grandiose event with the "King" in the foreground, for the last time under the "tricolor"| date=24 April 2021| access-date=11 February 2025}}</ref> At the time of his retirement, his 124 caps{{efn|name="ROM"}} for his country were a national record, which has since been surpassed by [[Dorinel Munteanu]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.digisport.ro/fotbal/liga-1/gica-hagi-isi-poate-lua-revansa-in-fata-lui-dorinel-care-i-a-suflat-recordul-de-selectii-la-echipa-nationala-23004| title=Gică Hagi îşi poate lua revanşa în faţa lui Dorinel, care i-a "suflat" recordul de selecții la echipa națională| publisher=Digisport.ro| language=ro |trans-title=Gică Hagi can get revenge against Dorinel, who "blew" his national team selection record | date=16 November 2012| access-date=11 February 2025}}</ref> He currently still holds the record of most goals scored for Romania, alongside [[Adrian Mutu]], with 35.<ref name="Romania and Gala’s commander and king"/><ref name="Gheorghe Hagi: The Maradona of the Carpathians"/><ref>{{cite news |url=https://in.reuters.com/article/soccer-romania-mutu/soccer-former-goal-hero-mutu-returns-to-dinamo-as-general-manager-idINL4N1CI4A3 |title=Soccer-Former goal hero Mutu returns to Dinamo as general manager |work=in.reuters.com |date=12 October 2016 |access-date=5 November 2019 |archive-date=1 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801024042/https://in.reuters.com/article/soccer-romania-mutu/soccer-former-goal-hero-mutu-returns-to-dinamo-as-general-manager-idINL4N1CI4A3 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

For representing his country at six final tournaments, Hagi was decorated by [[President of Romania]] [[Traian Băsescu]] on 25 March 2008 with the Ordinul "Meritul Sportiv" – (The Medal "The Sportive Merit") class II.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/93/Monitorul_Oficial_al_Rom%C3%A2niei._Partea_I_2008-03-28%2C_nr._241.pdf |title=DECRET privind conferirea Ordinului și Medaliei Meritul Sportiv |publisher=Monitorul Oficial al României Nr. 241 |date=28 March 2008 |page=3 |access-date=11 February 2025}}<br>{{cite web |url=http://old.presidency.ro/index.php?_RID=det&tb=date_arhiva&id=10313&_PRID=arh |title=Decorarea unor personalități ale fotbalului românesc |publisher=Administrația Prezidențială |date=25 March 2008 |access-date=11 February 2025|archive-date=12 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200912005010/http://old.presidency.ro/index.php?_RID=det&tb=date_arhiva&id=10313&_PRID=arh |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2013 he was [[Decorations of the Romanian Royal House|Decorated at the Romanian Royal House]] with the "Nihil Sine Deo" medal by [[Margareta of Romania]], Hagi saying at the event:"It's an important moment for me, I'm happy, I'm glad because all the sacrifices I've made in life were worth it, and right now I feel even more honored and responsible and I have more ambition to keep going, to keep working and giving my best for football, for children".<ref>{{cite web | url=https://casamajestatiisale.ro/familia-regala/ordine-decoraii/decoratia-regala-nihil-sine-deo/| title=Decorația regală "Nihil Sine Deo"| publisher=Casamajestatiisale.ro| language=ro |trans-title=The "Nihil Sine Deo" royal decoration| access-date=12 March 2025}}<br>{{cite web | url=https://www.libertatea.ro/stiri/eveniment-emotionant-la-castelul-peles-radu-beligan-gica-hagi-margareta-paslaru-si-marina-voica-decorati-de-casa-regala-879190| title=Eveniment Emoționant la Castelul Peleș. Radu Beligan, Gică Hagi, Margareta Pâslaru și Marina Voica, decorați de Casa Regală| publisher=Libertatea.ro| language=ro |trans-title=Emotional Event at Peleș Castle. Radu Beligan, Gică Hagi, Margareta Pâslaru and Marina Voica, decorated by the Royal House| date=12 May 2013| access-date=12 March 2025}}<br>{{cite web | url=https://www.antena3.ro/externe/margareta-paslaru-marina-voica-radu-beligan-si-gheorghe-hagi-decorati-de-casa-regala-213876.html| title=Margareta Pâslaru, Marina Voica, Radu Beligan şi Gheorghe Hagi, decoraţi de Casa Regală| publisher=Antena3.ro| language=ro |trans-title=Margareta Pâslaru, Marina Voica, Radu Beligan and Gheorghe Hagi, decorated by the Royal House| date=12 May 2013| access-date=12 March 2025}}</ref> On 12 March 2025, Hagi was decorated by President [[Ilie Bolojan]] with the [[Order of the Star of Romania]] in the rank of Knight, the highest distinction of the Romanian state.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.gsp.ro/fotbal/liga-1/gica-hagi-decorat-steaua-romaniei-ilie-bolojan-785164.html| title=Gică Hagi, decorat cu Ordinul Național "Steaua României". "Regele", gâtuit de emoție, cu lacrimi în ochi! Nume mari au participat la ceremonie| publisher=Gsp.ro| language=ro |trans-title=Gică Hagi, decorated with the National Order "Star of Romania". The "King", choked with emotion, with tears in his eyes! Big names attended the ceremony| date=12 March 2025| access-date=12 March 2025}}<br>{{cite web | url=https://www.prosport.ro/fotbal-intern/gica-hagi-a-inceput-sa-planga-cand-a-primit-steaua-romaniei-50-de-ani-de-munca-20116042| title=Gică Hagi a început să plângă când a primit Steaua României: "50 de ani de muncă"| publisher=Prosport.ro| language=ro |trans-title=Gică Hagi started crying when he received the Romanian Star: "50 years of work"| date=12 March 2025| access-date=12 March 2025}}</ref>